Watching TV ‘doubles the chance of a blood clot’: People who exercise regularly but tune in ‘very often’ at twice the risk of those who don’t

November 13, 2017 1:35 AM

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Watching television can nearly double the chance of getting a blood clot even in people who exercise, a study has found.

Even among people who get recommended levels of physical activity the risk of getting a blood clot was 1.8 times higher in people who say they watch TV ‘very often’ compared to those who watch TV ‘never or seldom’.

The researchers looked at 15,158 middle aged participants aged 45 to 64 in the US.

The study looked at blood clots in veins of the legs, arms, pelvis and lungs known as venous thromboembolism or VTE.

The study, presented at a meeting of the American Heart Association, found that while obesity was more common in people who watched more TV, only about 25 percent of the increased risk could be explained by the presence of obesity.

Dr Cushman said: ‘Think about how you can make the best use of your time to live a fuller and healthier life.

‘You could put a treadmill or stationary bike in front of your TV and move while watching.

Dr Cushman, of the University of Vermont Medical Centre added: ‘Health professionals should take the time to ask patients about their fitness and sedentary time, such as prolonged sitting watching TV or at a computer.